Clark, Geoffrey, Langley, Michelle, Litster, Mirani, Winter, Olaf, and Amesbury, Judith R. (2018) Shell beads as markers of Oceanic dispersal: a rare Cypraeidae ornament type from the Mariana Islands. In: Langley, Michelle C., Litster, Mirani, Wright, Duncan, and May, Sally K., (eds.) The Archaeology of Portable Art: Southeast Asian, Pacific, and Australian perspectives. Routledge, London, UK, pp. 142-161.

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Abstract

We present experimental and micro-trace evidence for an unusual Cypraeidae bead type associated with the earliest cultural deposits of the Bapot-1 site in the Marianas Islands in Western Micronesia. Results show that these ground-section cowry beads were strung together while worked dorsum found at this same site were used as pendants/lids. The probable occurrence of ground-section beads on Tikopia island ~4000 km from the Marianas suggests that these distinctive shell artefacts can assist archaeological understanding of early Oceanic dispersals and interaction among different colonising Neolithic groups in the Indo-Pacific.

Item ID:	71103
Item Type:	Book Chapter (Research - B1)
ISBN:	978-0-367-59150-2
Keywords:	Micronesia; Cypraeidae; Cowry; Monetaria moneta; beads
Copyright Information:	© 2018 selection and editorial matter, Michelle C. Langley, Miriani Lister, Duncan Wright and Sally K. May; individual chapters, the contributors.
Funders:	Australian Research Council (ARC)
Projects and Grants:	ARC DP0771841
Date Deposited:	07 Dec 2021 23:16
FoR Codes:	43 HISTORY, HERITAGE AND ARCHAEOLOGY > 4301 Archaeology > 430101 Archaeological science @ 50% 43 HISTORY, HERITAGE AND ARCHAEOLOGY > 4301 Archaeology > 430199 Archaeology not elsewhere classified @ 50%
SEO Codes:	13 CULTURE AND SOCIETY > 1307 Understanding past societies > 130799 Understanding past societies not elsewhere classified @ 100%
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